The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-08-20
A HADD0OK CASE IN THE LAST
CENTURY.

"HeH not Eternal" Str1klngly recalls
that of DIR. Joseph Huntington's "Cal-
vinism Improved" published in 1895,
after the authors death. DR.. Hunting
ton was a Congregational clergyman,
born in Windham, Conn.,, in 1875, and
graduated at Yale College in 1862. He
was ordained in Coventry, Conn.,, in
1853, and remained the pastor of the
Congregational church in that town
until his death in 1894. He began his
ministerial experience as a Calvinist,
and as he informs US in the introduce
ton to his work, ''for several years I'M
"derstood the way Of salvation agree
''ably in all essential matters to the
explanation of Mr.. Calvin, DR.. Owen,
"Mr. Willard, President Edwards, and
1.-THE great body of Puritan divines since
''the reformation from popery." DR..
Huntington was a very eminent and
popular preacher, and in early manhood
outgrew his original Calvinism and be-
came a convert to Universalism on his
improved" Calvinistic principles. But
this fact was not generally known dur
ing his lifetime. After his death a
manuscript volume was found among
his papers, bearing the title given above,
which ingeniously defended Universal
ism on the Calvinistic theory, main
tanning that the atonement Of Christ
was not limited to the select" of Calvin
ism, but embraced the entire family of
mankind. 1t is not known in what
years this work was written, nor what
were the ultimate intentions of the au-
thor as to its publication. His own
words in the preface seem to imply that
he was in doubt as to the propriety of
giving his work to the public. He re-
marks that it contains "a small part of
a system of divinity which the author
has been meditating more than twenty
years." and while assuring the reader
that he is quite beyond doubt in his
own mind with regard to the solid truth
of his leading principles and argu-
ments," he adds, with respect to the
due time of advancing this step for
ward, and so explicitly pouring in this
additional light, he is not so positive.
l am in the same predicament with re-
gard to the due time of publication
that all men since the days Of inspira-
ton have BEEN" This uncertainty
seems to have prevailed and conquered
DR.. Huntington, for his work never
saw the light until after his death. 1t is
due, however, to his memory to remark
that relative, who prepared geneal-
ogical account of the Huntington fam
lily, asserts that "he would have given
publicity to the work himself, had not
a series of domestic bereavements and
physical infrmities impaired his men
tai vigor and prematurely brought him
to the grave"
The work when it appeared in 1895,
bore the title 'sCalvinism Improved {;
or the Gospel Illustrated as System of
Real Grace, Issuing in the Salvation of
all men. A Posth9mous work of the
late Reverend Joseph Huntington, DID,,
minister of the First Church in Coven-
try, CT" 1t never had very wide cir
culation, as its publication was often
sive to one of DR.. Huntington's daugh-
tiers. "Much the greater part Of the
edition. says DR.. Sprague, (ADnals of
the American pulpit, shaving been
consigned to the flames" by this daugh-
ter, "a lady of rare excellence, who
loved Calvinism better than 'Calvinism
Improved and whose regard for ortho-
doxy seems to have been an overmatch,
even for her filial reverence" The
work is now rarely met with outside Of
New England antiquarian libraries.
The copy in our possession formerly
belonged to James Gates Percival, the
poet, and bears his autograph.
Rev. Eben Francis, in an article on
"Calvinism Improved" published in
the Trumpet and Freeman, sometime in
1854, gave an interesting account of DR..
Huntington, and also furnished extracts
from the genealogical memoir of his
relative, Rev. E. B. Huntington, then
of Stamford, Conn. Mr.. Francis re-
marks:
But did he (Dr. Huntingdon ever talk
about the doctrine, or preach it plainly,
or argue the subject in public? is an in
teresting question to us of to-day, as we
learn of what he was. In regard to this,
the memoir says 81 have heard old
men who accepted the doctrines of the
work, say that DR.. 81. preached good
Universalism for twenty years, but in
such way that he was not suspected,
except by those who relished it." DIR.
Waldo remarks:-"I remember to have
heard DR.. Hart, with whom he was on in
innate relations, say that, in converse
ton with him, DIR. Huntington raised
objections against the doctrine of future
punishment, protessedly to see how he
would answer them; and the same thing
was informed occurred in conversations
with several others of his clerical breth-
rem" DR.. Abbot observes Some time
before his death he wrote Dialogue on
Universal Salvation, and sent 1t to a
hrOk f.,sa ~k4 nj